One Clemence Gyato has been arrested by police in Accra in connection with the unlawful demolition of properties at the Race Course at Borteyman, a suburb of the capital.
The arrest, effected on Thursday, September 10, 2026, comes as investigators work to establish who ordered the August 22 demolition and under what authority it was carried out.
In a related development, the Police Service has interdicted DSP Alhassan Malaika Jibril for allegedly providing 200 armed security personnel for the operation.
The suspect is currently in police custody, assisting the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) with its investigations.
The demolition has sparked outrage within the horse racing community.
According to the Accra Turf Club, about 200 armed men arrived at the site with heavy-duty machinery and demolished more than 100 horse stables, track railings, and other structures at the historic facility.
Tensions escalated further on Thursday when members of the horse racing community took to the streets of Accra in protest, petitioning the Presidency, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Sports.
They demanded urgent action to protect the racecourse and to identify the individuals and authorities behind the demolition and an alleged takeover — issues now forming part of the CID’s investigation.
The suspect, who has long been at the centre of land-related disputes, serves as an official of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, a position he has held under both the previous and current governments.
He is the Chief Executive Officer of Aynok Service Limited, a firm hired over the years by successive governments to secure encroached state lands.
In 2023, he was conferred the title of “Champion of Peace” by the Volta and Oti International Day of Peace Summit, held at Kikis Court in Hohoe.
By Gifty Boateng